Brave New World

Aldous Huxley has been on the to-read list for a long time but not until recently - I saw a copy of Brave New World and picked it up finally. I love 1984, but I like Brave New World better. Huxley approaches things in a very scientific manner, laying the basis for the story upon a set of basic axioms he believes will help create a completely mind controlled future. I also picked up this other book written by him called The Devils of Loudun. Its a non-fiction novel set in 17th century France amidst all the Catholic hysteria surrounding people who practice the "old" religion i.e., witchcraft. It's a brilliantly researched upon book. Huxley provides numerous references to books that have been written on related subjects, for anyone who cares about it. There are also a lot of Latin passages and quotes sprinkled all over the place - this is where I kind of do not completely get what he is talking about - but they do not take anything away from the superb description of the prevailing beliefs and situations. I right in the middle of the book, I'm reading it kind of slowly, but I'm sure will finish it in a few days.
   There is also a movie based on the book, called The Devils. The director is interestingly Ken Russell, the director of Altered States, one of the weirdest and coolest sci-fi movies I've seen.

VALIS

I recently finished reading VALIS, a highly acclaimed work of Philip K. Dick. I have been a huge fan of Philip K. Dick since I first saw Waking Life and later A Scanner Dartkly. Richard Linklater, the director of the two movies happens to be a big fan too and frequently uses ideas of Philip K. Dick. I had read a few of Dick's books in the past - A Scanner Darkly, Counter-Clock World, Our Friends from Frolix 8, Time Out of Joint. While I thoroughly enjoyed each one of those reads, it wasn't until I read VALIS that I had discovered the true genius in Dick's writings. Highly enjoyable!

Desmond Morris

The Human Zoo by Desmond Morris is a brilliant attempt to explain the evolution of man, in a sense. It is a very interesting commentary on how man fails to grasp that he is just one more species on the surface of the planet. Man surely has achieved a hell of a lot of more things that our animal counterparts haven't even got the ability to begin understanding. But the biggest drawback of our evolutionary process seems to be that our biological system has failed to evolve on equal terms with the immense evolution of the human brain. Biologically we aren't much different from the monkey - as a result, at some fundamental level, the big urban societies we have built for ourselves suffer from essentially the same problems that animals in captivity have to face. The book takes us through a brilliant analysis of the human zoo.

Gonzo

I read The New Journalism by Tom Wolfe not so long ago. It had some of the most entertaining short stories in the first person narrative. They aren't exactly short stories, as one could call them essays or journals or articles or even, poems, sometimes. I need to get into more gonzo journalism.

Jim Morrison's biography by Stephen Davis. Richard Linklater's "Waking Life". A Perfect Circle and Rush.

A Scanner Darkly

A wonderful movie and an even better book! You have to try to get hold of this one.

This and that

I've been listening to Converge for a long time now. "The Saddest Day" from Petitioning the empty Sky is in my opinion, the best album opener ever written! Take my word, I am saying this keeping in mind Angel of Death. I know a few people who might kill me if they heard me say that. Anyway, this album is just unbelievably awesome. These are the albums that show you that the underground is still alive. Sheer energy.

That apart, A Perfect Circle has been on repeat mode. The lyrics, the music its all brilliant.

The Melvins, Lightning Bolt, Hella (these guys deserve more fame), Wolf Eyes and other stuff I can't think of right now.

I'm in the middle of "From Beirut to Jersualem" by Tom Friedman. Its a damn good one. I also recently finished reading "The motorcycle Diaries" (by Che Guevara). 

Of books and other things..

Finished reading "1984" a couple of weeks earlier. Its awesome! I'm trying to get hold of (i mean borrow) Animal Farm but with no success until now. "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri is an other book I read recently. Its a collection of really well written short stories. I'm halfway through "The Age of Kali" by William Darlymple. Will probably write about it here once I finish it.

PS: I'm going through an OST listening phase. I'm listening to OSTs of Koyaanisqatsi, Fargo, Requiem for a Dream and a few others. I've watched Koyaanisqatsi multiple times recently. Its a remarkable movie actually. Highly recommended for anyone who is.